New Orleans, LA - January 7, 2006- Former New Orleans Mayor and current National Urban League President and CEO, Marc H. Morial called into question the depth of current post hurricane Katrina rebuilding plans for New Orleans and the region proposed in the ULI report as shortsighted and proposes ways to build and pay for rebuilding New Orleans.

1. First class regional flood control system: CAT 5

• Bigger and better levees on all natural and man-made canals
• Comprehensive coastal erosion program the coast is our natural protection
• Close MRGO --the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, for 30 years environmentalists and St. Bernard Parish leaders have warned that failure to close MRGO

2. Develop an improved system of pumping stations and flood gates with appropriate back up and generator power to ensure that drainage systems do not fail in a weather related power outage.

3. Do not leave the design of this system solely to the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers. I'm not here to cast aspersions on the Army Corp. But we should bring in the best team of American engineers, scientists and hurricane experts to design and build a better system. If we need to bring in the Dutch, the French, the Japanese so be it. But, I believe that right here in this nation.

"Our Next Great Challenge"

Delivered by Marc Morial at the St. Maria Goretti Church in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 6, 2006

THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

EVERY GENERATION IS FACED WITH CHALLENGES THAT SEEM INSURMOUNTABLE:

• IN THE 19TH CENTURY, GREAT CITY OF CHICAGO WAS DEVASTATED BY FIRE, LEAVING 300 OF ITS CITIZENS DEAD, 90,000 HOMELESS, AND MORE THAN $200 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.

YET, CHICAGO STILL STANDS TODAY AS ONE OF OUR NATION'S GREATEST CENTERS OF TRADE.

• IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, BEAUTIFUL SAN FRANCISCO WAS RAVAGED BY A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, WHICH SHOOK THE CITY APART, KILLING MORE THAN 700 CITIZENS AND CAUSING MORE THAN $400 MILLION IN DAMAGE.

  YET, SAN FRANCISCO STILL STANDS TODAY AS ONE OF THE NATION'S GREAT CULTURAL CENTERS.

  • IN 2001, NEW YORK CITY WAS STRUCK BY TERRORISM, THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE ALL TOO WELL KNOWN.

  YET NEW YORK STILL STANDS TODAY - STRONGER

  THESE CITIES HAVE RISEN FROM THE ASHES --OUR NATION IS BETTER ---ECONOMICALLY, FINANCIALLY OR CULTURALLY

  HURRICANE KATRINA MAKES NEW ORLEANS HAS BECOME AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT CHALLENGE.

  LIKE THESE 3 CITIES, HISTORY WILL JUDGE US ON HOW WE MEET AND OVERCOME THIS CHALLENGE.

  AMERICAN TRADITION AND CHARACTER IS NOT ONLY FIX THE PROBLEM, FIND ENLIGHTENED SOLUTIONS

  TO DATE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE URBAN LEAGUE ANSWERED THE CALL ---

  AS NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE URBAN LEAGUE, I'M PROUD TO REPORT SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAYS OF HURRICANE KATRINA

  • URBAN LEAGUE AFFILIATES NATIONWIDE ---HELPED OVER 20,000 EVACUEES FIND SHORT AND LONG TERM HOUSING, JOBS, RESPECT AND DIGNITY AT A TROUBLED TIME.

  • WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR KATRINA'S VICTIMS RIGHTS IN WASHINGTON RESULTING IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUSES' KATRINA RECOVERY ACT (HR 4197)

  • THIS ACT INCLUDES RETENTION OF KATRINA VICTIMS' VOTING RIGHTS, LOCAL RESIDENT HIRING GOALS AND A VICTIMS' COMPENSATION FUND MODELED AFTER THE 911 FUND THAT CONGRESS AUTHORIZED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE 2001 TERRORISTS ATTACKS. I'LL TOUCH ON THIS MORE LATER....

  BUT MORE MUST BE DONE TO REBUILD THIS REGION --LONG TERM.

  AMERICA MUST COMMIT----TO INVEST ITS MIGHT, MUSCLE, INGENUITY TO RECOVER, RESTORE AND REBUILD LIVES OF PEOPLE---THIS GREAT AMERICAN CITY-- AND THIS GULF REGION

  IT'S BEEN DONE HERE AND ABROAD BEFORE....

  • PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON'S LOUISIANA PURCHASE -($400 BILLION IN TODAY'S DOLLARS & EXPLODED THE NATIONAL DEBT BY 12% IN ONE YEAR....CREATED THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF TRADE AND TRANSPORT FOR A FLEDGING NATION

  • 60 YEARS LATER, ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S HOMESTEAD ACT "GAVE AWAY" 270 MILLIONS ACRES OF LAND -- (10% OF THE U.S.) FOR THE FIRST TIME A "WORKING CLASS" IF THEY BUILT HOMES AND WORKED THE LAND

  • AMERICA DIDN'T HESITATE TO HELP TO REBUILD EUROPE AFTER WORLD WAR II - EVEN GERMANYAND JAPAN

  • AND, TODAY, WE'RE SPENDING BILLIONS IN BAGDAD

  • WHAT ABOUT NEW ORLEANS AND THE GULF COAST??

  YES, THERE HAVE BEEN SO GOOD FIRST STEPS THE $2.9 BILLION ALLOCATION IS ONE EXAMPLE,

  I WANT TO MAKE 5 KEY POINTS WHICH MUST BE DONE--

  FIRST CLASS CATEGORY 5 SUSTANIABLE REGIONAL FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM:

  • BIGGER AND BETTER LEVEES ON ALL NATURAL AND MAN-MADE CANALS

  • DEVELOP AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF PUMPING STATIONS AND FLOOD GATES WITH APPROPRIATE BACK UP AND GENERATOR POWER TO ENSURE THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEMS DO NOT FAIL IN A WEATHER RELATED POWER OUTAGE.

  • COMPREHENSIVE COASTAL EROSION PROGRAM THE COAST IS OUR NATURAL PROTECTION

  • CLOSE MRGO --THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER GULF OUTLET, FOR 30 YEARS ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND ST. BERNARD PARISH LEADERS HAVE WARNED THAT FAILURE TO CLOSE MRGO

  NOT SOLEY DESIGNED BY U. S. ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS

  BEST TEAM OF AMERICAN ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS AND HURRICANE EXPERTS---BRING IN THE DUTCH, THE FRENCH, THE JAPANESE SO BE IT.

  PEOPLE WON'T COME BACK UNLESS THEY ARE PROTECTED.

  HOW DO WE PAY FOR IT? - $2.9 BILLION WILL NOT COVER IT FOR BUILDING AND MAINTAINING IT FOR THE NEXT CENTURY.

  • $6 BILLION IS EARNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S LEASES AND TAXES FROM OIL AND GAS WELLS - LOCATED IN LOUISIANA (JUST 20 MILES FROM WHERE WE ARE STANDING)

  • THAT MONEY SHOULD NOT STAY IN WASHINGTON, BUT HELP TO REBUILD THESE A FIRST CLASS LEVEE AND FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM

  2) IN OCTOBER, I LAID OUT A KATRINA BILL OF RIGHTS-

  • THE RIGHT TO RECOVER ( FINANCIAL HELP, COMPENSATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT SECURITY TO GET PEOPLE BACK ON THEIR FEET )

  • THE RIGHT TO VOTE

  • THE RIGHT TO RETURN (FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL TO RECLAIM PROPERTY)

  • THE RIGHT TO REBUILD (HAVE A VOICE IN PLANNING)

  • THE RIGHT TO WORK

  THERE ARE 2 PIECES OF CURRENT LEGISLATION ARE MOVING THESE CONCEPTS FORWARD. BUT I'M PROPSING COMBINING THE BEST OF BOTH CONCEPTS:

  "LOUISIANA AND GULF COAST HOMESTEAD AND RESTORATION ACT", DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY HELP TO REBUILD OUR CITIES AND REGION, BUT PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO BRING OUR PEOPLE BACK TO REBUILD OUR VITAL CULTURE AND INSTITUTIONS.

  VICTIMS COMPENSATION HAS KEY 2 ELEMENTS -- HUMAN NEEDS FOR PAYMENT FOR SUFFERING AND...PHYSICAL NEEDS INCENTIVES TO MOVE BACK

  • CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUSES' KATRINA RECOVERY, RECLAMATION, RESTORATION, RECONSTRUCTION AND REUNION ACT (HR 4197) --

  • INCLUDES VOTING RIGHTS, LOCAL RESIDENT HIRING GOALS AND A VICTIMS' COMPENSATION FUND MODELED AFTER THE 911 FUND

  BUT VICTIMS COMPENSATION PAYMENTS FOR SUFFERING SHOULD BE MADE VERY CLEAR - VICTIMS OF 911 RECEIVED $7 BILLION!!!

  AND CONGRESS MUST STILL PROVIDE FEDRAL DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND PROVODE MEANINGFUL BENEFITS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF THE 500,000 LEFT UMEMPLOYED BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

  THE BAKER BILL IS A GOOD FIRST STEP-- PHYSICAL ASPECTS TO INCENTVIZE PEOPLE TO RETURN

  IT RECOMMENDS A FEDERAL BUY BACK OF PROPERTY-- WHERE THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO SELL WOULD RECEIVE 60% OF THE EQUITY OF THEIR HOMES (PRE-KATRINA VALUE) AND THE MORTGAGES PAID OFF TO BANKS AT 60%

  WE MUST DO MORE

  • LET'S PAY 120% OF THE EQUITY OF THE HOME IF PROPERTY OWNERS COMMIT TO REBUILDING IN THE PARISH OR REGION.

  • AND, MANDATE - ANY SALES OF PROPERTY BY THE GOVT SHOULD BE OVERSEEN BY A BODY THAT MADE UP OF GULF COAST RESIDENTS RACIALLY AND GENDER DIVERSE

  • WE MUST DO SOMETHING FOR RENTERS AS WELL; A CASH INCENTIVE TO COME BACK MUST ALSO BE ADDRESSED.
    NO LAND GRAB FOR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS AND SPECULATORS,

    WE MUST GET PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN EARNEST A "LOUISIANA AND GULF COAST HOMESTEAD AND RESTORATION ACT COULD DO THIS.

    3) CURRENT ULI PLAN AND LAND COMMISSION PLANS

    • ANY PLAN TO REBUILD MUST BE MEASURED AGAINST VICTIMS BILL OF RIGHTS

    • NO PHASED APPROCH SHOULD DEVALUE OR WRITE OFF ANY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT THOSE WHO HAVE A STAKE IN THAT COMMUNITY - LAKE VIEW, 9TH WARD, EAST NEW ORLEANS

    • MUST BE AN INCLUSIVE PROCESS OF ALL RACES CREEDS, POOR, RICH AND MIDDLE CLASS

    • ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENT GROUPS TO TAKE THE PLAN, REVIEW, EVALUATE, COMMENT AND ADD YOUR OWN IDEAS, IMPROVE IT!!!

      4) MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS - WE MUST HONOR TO 1000 LIVES LOST

      5) ANY PLAN MUST BE CHILD AND FAMILY FRIENDLY

      • REBUILD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, RECREATION AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS - MUST RESTORE CHARITY HOSPITAL AND FIND WAYS TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY CLINICS AND CENTERS TO ENSURE THE WORKING POOR HAVE HEALTHCARE

      IN CLOSING, WE MUST LOOK TO THE TRADITIONS OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP, AND TO THE HERITAGE OF OUR PEOPLE, SO WE CAN BRING ANOTHER GREAT AMERICAN CITY BACK TO LIFE.

      WILL NEW ORLEANS' VIBRANT CULTURE AND ECONOMY GIVE WAY TO PRESSURES AND BECOME A DESOLATE BACKWATER? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

      IS CHICAGO STILL IN ASHES? NO.

      IS SAN FRANCISCO STILL BURIED IN RUBBLE? NO.

      IS NEW YORK CITY VACANT AND FRIGHTENED? NO.

      THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS WILL RETURN. BUT WE NEED SUPPORT TO REBUILD AND RESTORE.

      I ASK YOU TODAY: WHEN HISTORY JUDGES US WILL THEY SAY WE SIDED WITH NAYSAYERS AND THOSE WHO WOULD BULLDOZE OUR HOPES AND DREAMS AND THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF OUR ENTIRE REGION? THEY WON'T SAY I DID.

      I STAND TO SEE NEW ORLEANS REBUILT AND ITS PEOPLE RESTORED. AND I THINK YOU DO TOO.

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